Hi Mocha,
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum.
Shoulder pain can be from so many different things. I too would be more inclined to suspect the pain is radiating from your neck injury. Only your physician can determine the true source of your pain.
An example of this would be a laparotomy. The procedure can cause shoulder pain due to the insertion of gas into your pelvic cavity during the process. There is no "nerve" that causes that pain. It's the gas pressing on the organs. Our bodies are unique machines and often if there is a problem in one area it can often be reflected in another.
I'm sorry to hear that you may have to face surgery. We are here to support you. Please let us know how you are doing. We will look forward to your updates.
Take Care,
Tuck
I would think your neck injury would be the cause of your shoulder pain. I had my gallbladder removed 4 years ago and the pain was under my rib cage and into my back. The pain went away once I had it removed. Do your research and interview a few surgeons before you have the spine surgery. It's a pretty risky procedure and you want somebody to do it right the first time. Good luck. Maybe they can remove the gallbladder and do the neck repair at the same time?